


Personal Victory

by ExpressingEmotionalism



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-11-02 10:38:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20717480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExpressingEmotionalism/pseuds/ExpressingEmotionalism
Summary: Gentle Deethra has been cleansed of the corrupting Darkening, and side-by-side with Brave Rian, they were able to make their escape from the Castle of the Crystal. Albeit barely. Perhaps their refuge in the now abandoned Caverns of Grot could prove to be a much needed moment of respite for their hurting bodies and tender hearts.





	Personal Victory

The second battle for Stone-in-the-Wood had resulted in a decisive victory for the side of Thra’s heart and soul: the noble Gelflings led by a young generation of champions as well as the all-knowing Mother Aughra. While the victory further unleashed the fiery spirit of the resistance against their enemies the Skeksis, celebration was short lived as the battle too came at a cost to their own. Gentle Deethra, member of the elusive Grottan clan had consumed much of the most unnatural and corrupting force to ever come to Thra caused by their adversary’s thousand Trine of negligence and abuse. Death and despair followed in the unfortunate Gelfling’s wake as she wandered off into the endless forest shortly after the battle had ended. Brave Rian of the Stonewood did not sit idly by as the others did-- he could not sit idly by seeing her this way. Amidst the high of the turning tides of war, he immediately set forth to rescue the one he’d grown to cherish most in the short time since his quest had begun. Taking Mother Aughra’s blessing, Rian left Stone-in-the-Wood and with each decayed trunk and rotted root left behind by Deet he was not too far behind in a series of events that would further change the course of Thra’s history forever.  
  
Rian rested his eyes as he laid down to rest his now battered and bruised body. Splintered streams of the mighty Black River above flowed down into the caverns of Grot and along the edges of Domrak. Its cold and refreshing water tickled his exposed toes with each ebb and flow. He let out a gasp at the chilling sensation that ran up his now wet feet, curling his toes in response without conscious effort. Not too far off from the rocky shoreline, Deet washed away the deep purple residue from her hands and forearms as she sat on her knees in the shallow stream. She managed to scrub off much of this malicious ichor, but the most stubborn traces refused to wash away. Though the futility of it did not get a rise out of her and she continued to scrub almost autonomously. Her tattered garments from the battle were tossed away upon her return from the Darkening’s desolation but as fortune would have it, they were able to find another outfit within her family’s ruined hovel. The sound of the shifting waters echoed throughout the expansive network of caverns, holding true to Grot’s peaceful nature even during such trying times. Yet, it was the only sound made as the two lone Gelflings, while close in proximity, said nothing to each other, keeping to themselves even if their hearts desired otherwise.  
  
Struggling to stretch his sore waist, Rian sat up with a groan under his breath. His near death while making their escape from the Castle of the Crystal weighed heavily his body and exhausted his mind. However, these worldly stresses could not impose on a certain warmth and sense of inner peace that he took solace in. He had Deet back and that's what mattered most to him-- at least it was Deet for the most part. Deet, who sat in the water in her purest form, slowly looked over her shoulder but turned back in one rapid motion after making eye contact with Rian who looked to her with a longing gaze. Upon realization, Deet also made an unsuccessful attempt to cover herself and hide from Rian, to which he scoffed with the hope of making light of the situation. It was not that he tried to catch her in such a vulnerable and exposing situation, but the overhanging glow moss of Grot were not in Deet’s favor. At the same time, it was far enough from the shore to where Rian’s vision was hazy other than her general figure. Almost in a haze, the blushing Rian almost missed Deet’s soft beckoning from where she sat.

“Rian,” Deet let out with a hoarse and strained voice. Rian lit up and rose further, paying little thought to the surge of pain that spread throughout his muscles. The mere uttering of his name was enough to provide him with the strength he needed. 

“Y-Yes Deet,” Rian stuttered, though without hesitation.  
  
“C...Could you hand me my dress…”  
  
“Oh! Yes, of course!” Rian used his newfound fervor to jump to his feet and snatch the outfit from a nearby rock mound. It was light and soft to his touch, no doubt made from the rump of a Grottan Nurloc as she pointed out before and it carried a very distinct scent, despite being considered fresh. The smell lingered until it arrived under Rian’s nostrils, and it helped put him a little more at ease. He splashed through the shallow water with each heavy step forward to Deet until he stopped just one step away from the Grottan girl. Memories of quick wit and sarcasm during his time as a castle guard came to mind, and yet for once Rian’s throat closed and he could not say anything. With her back towards him, the constant reminder of circumstance and agony kept a specific dissonance now that he was close to her. Rather than words, Rian lifted his hand in an attempt to comfort her-- something physical, something real, something that only he could give. Unfortunately for that brief moment it went no further as if his hand refused to touch Deet, and soon began shaking from the strenuous effort his weakened body worked to maintain. Then suddenly, Deet shifted in the water and pivoted towards Rian’s direction, catching him off guard and forcing him to withdraw his hand in an instant. 

“D-Deet,” Rian spoke up, mustering the lead to do so thanks to his embarrassment. His eyes veered off as to not make eye contact with Deet’s partial gaze. “M-Maybe, it would be best if you came back to dry land and changed. That way your dress doesn’t get soaked.” Deet lowered her eyes and let out a small whimper in agreement. Rian wasn’t always the best at catching certain gestures or audio cues, but he immediately understood the conflicting sense of both confusion and disappointment in Deet’s expression. He stepped to her side to provide passage back to the shore, but without realizing, he had also lent his hand to her. Her stare was as distant and vacant as the caverns around them, but once she noticed his offer, her ears lowered and she gave a weak grin. Now with his hand in her own, the nervous Rian, whose cheeks became warmer and warmer to a faster heartbeat, led them back and out of the water.

Assisting Deet in any way he could while she put on the different pieces to her outfit, Rian focused on her alone and what she meant to him rather than give into the form directly presented, even if she kept in modest sight. One thing he did notice and could not look away from, however, were the lasting marks of corruption that scarred her body. Spread along her veins, her body was forever a reminder of the sacrifices made for the good of all. His heart sank at this sight with only regret and unresolved closure clouding his mind. Then, he snapped back to reality as he saw Deet recoil from her best efforts at bringing the dress overhead-- her body too had become tender and withered without an opportunity to recover. He smirked and carried the outfit above her, lightening the burden and once her head was through, it all came into place as she let it fall over her body comfortably. She also made a subtle gesture by way of flexing her back for Rian to help bring her wings through the fitted sleeves, to which he eagerly obliged. A perfect fit, in more ways than one.

“Rian…” Deet whispered again, breaking the silence between them.  
  
“What is it Deet?” His numbed and weary senses had caught up to him and his body was slow to respond to Deet turning to face him directly. He leaned forward in a rush of emotion, though the same mix of feelings kept him from getting too close for her sake. His joy and longing for her, but so too his fear and apprehension of the Darkening’s effects as evident in her lifeless eyes. His eyes were soon enveloped in a thin veil of moisture, blurring his vision ever so slightly. Once again, he opened his palm to reach out to her, this time to hold her cheek, and like before he stopped just as he came too close. Much to his own surprise though, Deet looked down and lowered her cheek into it, completing the minor display of affection and care. She closed her eyes and burrowed her cheek into his hand, whilst holding onto it with her own. Rian exhaled a held breath then guided her closer to his body, caressing her with each step. At first, they opened their other hands to each other, but took them back as they dared not to Dreamfast for the recent events were too overwhelming to relive. Instead, they chose to rest their foreheads together and simply hold hands. With a means of bonding so intimately through mind and soul, Gelflings are quick to forget how much two can become one when body meets body and in that moment for Rian and Deet, not even Dreamfasting could compare.  
  
“I thought I lost you,” Rian whispered in Deet’s ear, his voice cracked in a sudden moment of vulnerability. 

“I_ was_ lost…” Deet answered back in a faint tone. Rian gripped Deet tighter as he fought back his own tears by clenching his eyes harder.  
  
“You- You absorbed so much of the Darkening… you saved us, but-”  
  
“But… we found each other Rian…”  
  
“I don’t know what I’d do without you Deet. I had almost given up when you left us…”

“I… _ didn’t _.” Rian lifted his head off Deet's to better look into her eyes.

“You didn’t?” Deet nodded, then the two shared a loving embrace, refusing to let go. They both released a breath of air through their noses and allowed themselves to further become one as tears rolled down their cheeks.

To the uninitiated, time felt unpassing deep within the caverns of Grot. Back on the soft sand at the edge of the bank, Rian held Deet with both arms around her as he looked up to the far off ceiling while she drifted in and out of the dream world. He let himself wander more and more, from hearing the distant Nurlocs burrow deeper into the caves, to watching the rare Bell-Birds of Grot fly overhead as they made small blinks between the hanging bundles of glow moss and the light that emanated. Deet stirred restlessly, but every now and then she would calm as she snuggled up closer to Rian who gently squeezed her tighter. Her eyelids lifted and almost by instinct, she placed her hand on Rian’s chest, keeping the side of her face close to his heart.  
  
“Before I left, Brea was leading the fortification effort in Stone-in-the-Wood,” Rian thought aloud. “Or at least what’s left of it.” Deet remained quiet and opted to only respond with a nod that clung to his body. “Some of the Seven clans scattered after the battle in hopes to prepare their own villages for when the Skeksis return with their… abominations. At least most of us can stay safe and secure inside Stone-in-the-Wood.”

“We… need to catch up to our friends…”

“We will, but that could take longer than we'd like with the Skeksis roaming the countryside ever since we escaped the castle.” Deet sighed at his words, prompting Rian to try and make things better. “But with Brea in charge, everyone will be safe. I know it. Without her, we couldn’t have even made it this far.”

“But what… about… us?”

“The Skeksis already came through Grot and I know them well enough that they won’t return out of pride. They believe that they conquered this place already.” Rian paused and after another change of mind, he went in to speak up again but was beaten by Deet.

“Then… maybe, we could stay… a bit longer? Just the two of us?” Unknown to Deet, Rian smiled as he looked to the top of her head once he heard her request.  
  
“Hm, I was thinking the exact same thing. I…" Rian stopped, then mustered the courage to continue. "I love you Deet.” Deet’s eyes sprung open as she lifted herself from Rian’s chest and locked eyes with him. For Rian, this was the first time since their own battle for Stone-in-the-Wood that he was able to see some resemblance of the innocence and joy in Deet that he had grown so fond of return to her face. She squinted her eyes as the sides of her mouth quivered than arched upward in a smile most recognizable as she hovered over Rian.

“I love you too Rian. Mm… not even... the Darkening could take that away from me.” She flipped over and onto her back to lay beside Rian. The two then cuddled together and stared upward to the cavern ceiling, hand in hand and hearts made one. Their reunion, no matter how small or personal it was in the scope of Thra, was the only victory they needed.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm absolutely in love with AoR. I've always been a fan of the original movie since I first watched it but now I'm a fanatic. Anyway, please enjoy reading this short piece as I really wanted to make this idea work. If it did and you liked it, then hey maybe I can do more. StoneGrot has really captured me so I'm always trying to make new scenes and ideas for them. Thank you for your time!


End file.
